Adjutant, Battalion Company 1821


It is unusual for a painting to give us a view of the back of a uniform so I am grateful to Denis Dighton for painting the group of officers and men of the Coldstream Guards on Horse Guards Parade, from which this detail is taken. The only regimental officers to appear on horseback on parade were the commanding officer and the adjutant. This officer is wearing riding boots and spurs so must be in mounted order. We know that he is not a commanding officer because he has only one gold fringed epaulette. On the other shoulder is a shoulder scale which is the adjutant's badge of office. The bell-topped shako replaced the unpopular Waterloo shako in 1816 and was quite low at first but became higher by this time. There is a two inch wide gold lace band around the top. Gold cap lines were purely ornamental and went around the cap four times ending in gold acorns on the right side. A white over red plume denotes Battalion Company.

The coatee is the undress frock. The front of this coat can be seen on the Grenadier Company officer. It has less gold lace than the full dress coat and has a blue collar. The full dress coat can be seen in the picture of Colonel Daniel MacKinnon. The long tails of the coat have white turn-backs edged in gold lace. There is also a line of gold lace extending from the waist to the point where the turn-backs meet. Also at this point is an embroidered spray of foliage on blue cloth backing. There are pocket flaps just below his crimson silk sash, which have gold lace edges. The white sword belt has a frog for the straight sword to slot into. Battalion company officers had straight swords whereas those carried by flank officers were curved. The hilt of the sword is very carefully painted and has a gold and crimson sword knot with gold fringed end. His horse, with it's elaborate bridle and horse furniture can be seen also in the picture of Colonel Daniel MacKinnon.


Uniforms | Regimental Details


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by Stephen Luscombe